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Turnout Was Low in South Carolina. Democrats Say That’s Not the Point.

Democrats put in more effort, covered more miles and invested in more organizing to prove that it was the right decision to move the South Carolina primary from fourth in the calendar to first this year.

SC Rep. Jim Clyburn introduces President Biden at South Carolina's First in the Nation dinner.
Operatives say it was the right decision to make South Carolina the first-in-the-nation primary. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Only 4% of registered voters in South Carolina turned out for the Democratic primary this weekend. As the numbers rolled in, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said he was “ecstatic.”

The day before the election, state Rep. Robert Williams told NOTUS low turnout would indicate “it would not have been worth it” for South Carolina to march to first in the primary calendar. But the Biden campaign didn’t expect turnout to be high, a Democrat close to the campaign said. The work that went into this year’s primary — where Democrats said an unchallenged incumbent was unlikely to draw out the masses — was about 2028, when a competitive primary is more likely.

Democrats put in more effort, covered more miles and invested in more organizing to prove that it was the right decision to move South Carolina from fourth in the calendar to first and that they could handle it.